Letting Students Choose

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 68-88
Author(s):  
Andrew P. Mills ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Creative Work ◽  
Student Reaction ◽  
Course Material ◽  
To Receive

Traditionally, students have no choice over which assignments they must submit to receive the grade they desire in a course. An alternative “menu approach” (developed by Maryellen Weimer in 2002) provides students with a list of possible assignments and lets them select which to submit. This approach is demonstrated to increase student engagement with course material, motivate students to engage in creative work, and allow students to choose assignments that allow them to best demonstrate their learning. Student reaction is mixed: some like the choice but others are stressed and overwhelmed by it. This may result from the increased responsibility they must shoulder under the Menu Approach. Some questions remain about the link between increased engagement and student learning, questions that may form the basis for future research on the Menu Approach.

Got HIPs? Making student engagement enhancement a core part of program development with high impact practices

2021 ◽  
pp. 014473942110138
Author(s):  
Schnequa N Diggs
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Online Education ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Program Development ◽  
High Impact ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Student Body ◽  
High Impact Practices ◽  
The Impact

Learning how to engage students in educationally purposeful activities has been a challenge for instructors in higher education. It is often hard to push through institutionalized pedagogical boundaries rooted in traditional “teach-at-you” approaches to learning. The demands of a more diverse student body and more effective measures of student learning outcomes have led to rethinking the delivery of course material to gain greater student engagement. Studies have shown that higher order engagement enhances student learning and helps to narrow achievement gaps across the curriculum. This article focuses on student engagement and the use of high-impact practices (active-learning approaches) in the Alameda County MPA Program at California State University, East Bay. The application of HIPS to this specific MPA program provides a good example of how multiple student engagement enhancement techniques can be incorporated into the core of graduate-level program development. The article concludes with suggestions for future research, one being, examining the impact distant, online education has on student learning and engagement, in light of the recent pandemic.

scholarly journals Perception of Instructor Presence and Its Effects on Learning Experience in Online Classes

10.28945/4611 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
pp. 475-488
Author(s):  
Chongwoo Park ◽  
Dong-gook Kim
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Learning Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Classes ◽  
Communication Tool ◽  
Interactive Communication ◽  
Instructor Presence

Aim/Purpose: One of the most critical challenges to the student learning experience in online classes would be providing interactions between students and instructors as effective as in face-to-face learning. This study introduces perceived instructor presence as a way to promote such interactions and investigates its effects on student learning experience in online learning. Background: Drawing upon theories of constructivism and social presence, this study proposes a research model to explore the causal relationships from the interactivity of a communication tool to the perception of instructor presence and to student learning experiences such as engagement and satisfaction. Methodology: The survey method was used to collect data from online business classes where an interactive communication tool was required to use for class communication and collaboration. Partial Least Squares analysis was used as the primary data analysis tool. Contribution: This study introduces perceived instructor presence in the online learning context and empirically tests its effects on the online learning experience. This study also contributes to the online learning literature by confirming the constructivist’s point of view on learning that interactions lead to better learning experiences, in the online learning environment. Findings: The study results show that the use of an interactive communication tool in online learning fosters strong student-instructor interactions and promotes students’ perceptions of instructor presence, which eventually enhances student engagement and satisfaction in online classes. Recommendations for Practitioners: This study recommends practitioners (e.g., teachers and professors) to use more interactive communication tools such as Microsoft Teams and Slack to promote the instructor presence in their online classes, which ultimately increase student engagement and satisfaction. Practitioners are also recommended to develop and use any other teaching methods or activities that can increase perceived instructor presence, which has a direct impact on student engagement in online learning. Recommendation for Researchers: While the fellow researchers can take one of the future research directions in this paper, it is recommended to consider more fundamental approaches to the study of online learning. For example, the concept of presence is a radical difference when courses are moved from face-to-face to online learning. Future research could investigate how various types of presence can play differently in online learning. Impact on Society: Better learning experiences are likely to have a significant impact on society’s well-being, and the findings of this study suggest how student learning experiences can be improved in online classes. Furthermore, this is particularly useful when many face-to-face classes were forced to switch to online classes abruptly during the COVID-19 pandemic as many students, parents, and educators were concerned with online learning experiences. Future Research: A replication study with different communication tools in various courses would be good future research to support the generalizability of the findings. Another interesting future research is to employ other types of dependent variables, such as tool adoption and academic performance. It would be worth investigating how different types of learning experiences can be associated with various learning tools. As this study finds that an interactive communication tool is associated with student engagement, gamification can be associated with student enjoyment in online learning.

scholarly journals Testing the relationship between out-of-class student engagement and student learning outcomes: the case of business students in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giang Trinh Thi Thu
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Learning Outcomes ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Student Learning Outcomes ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
To Receive ◽  
The Relationship

The topic of student engagement has emerged by the end of the last century and has become an interesting research topic for its robust correlation with a large number of desirable and positive educational outcomes. While in-class student engagement has been largely studied, out-of-class student engagement seems to receive less attention. This study closes the gap in the literature by presenting evidence on the relationship between out-of-class engagement and student learning outcomes using two different datasets of 492 and 491 business students in Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. The structural equation modeling analyses using SmartPLS show significant effects of cognitive and agentic engagement on student learning outcomes. In addition, out-of-class agentic engagement is confirmed to be a separate and distinct subcomponent of student engagement. Keywords: Agentic engagement, Higher education, Out-of-class engagement, Student engagement, Student learning outcomes

Student Learning in Physical Education Through the Lens of a “Curriculum Specialist”

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 226-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Senlin Chen ◽  
Alex Garn
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Physical Education ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Curriculum Studies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Related Research ◽  
The Past ◽  
Active Contributor ◽  
Curriculum Specialist

For decades, scholars in physical education pedagogy have done tremendous work to enlighten the research on student learning. Dr. Catherine D. Ennis was one of the leading experts in the past 3 decades (active contributor 1984–2017), who had a monumental impact on learning-related research in physical education. In this article, the authors synthesize Dr. Ennis’s scholarship on student learning in physical education, honoring her contributions to the field. They first define learning as a concept and learning in physical education and present how Ennis as a “curriculum specialist” viewed learning. They then cover Ennis’s insights and findings that originated from her series of impactful curriculum studies related to student engagement and learning and conclude by sharing lessons learned from Ennis’s scholarly wisdom for guiding future research in physical education pedagogy.

A Pilot Study of Mobile Telephone Message Interventions with Suicide Attempters in China

Crisis ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 109-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Chen ◽  
Brian L. Mishara ◽  
Xiao Xian Liu
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Text Message ◽  
Text Messages ◽  
Mobile Telephone ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Quick Method ◽  
Suicide Attempters ◽  
To Receive

Background: In China, where follow-up with hospitalized attempters is generally lacking, there is a great need for inexpensive and effective means of maintaining contact and decreasing recidivism. Aims: Our objective was to test whether mobile telephone message contacts after discharge would be feasible and acceptable to suicide attempters in China. Methods: Fifteen participants were recruited from suicide attempters seen in the Emergency Department in Wuhan, China, to participate in a pilot study to receive mobile telephone messages after discharge. All participants have access to a mobile telephone, and there is no charge for the user to receive text messages. Results: Most participants (12) considered the text message contacts an acceptable and useful form of help and would like to continue to receive them for a longer period of time. Conclusions: This suggests that, as a low-cost and quick method of intervention in areas where more intensive follow-up is not practical or available, telephone messages contacts are accessible, feasible, and acceptable to suicide attempters. We hope that this will inspire future research on regular and long-term message interventions to prevent recidivism in suicide attempters.

scholarly journals Providing trial results to participants in phase III pragmatic effectiveness RCTs: a scoping review

Trials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne Bruhn ◽  
Elle-Jay Cowan ◽  
Marion K. Campbell ◽  
Lynda Constable ◽  
Seonaidh Cotton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Search Strategy ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Future Research ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Emotional Effects ◽  
Trial Participants ◽  
Narrative Description ◽  
Do So

Abstract Background There is an ethical imperative to offer the results of trials to those who participated. Existing research highlights that less than a third of trials do so, despite the desire of participants to receive the results of the trials they participated in. This scoping review aimed to identify, collate, and describe the available evidence relating to any aspect of disseminating trial results to participants. Methods A scoping review was conducted employing a search of key databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) from January 2008 to August 2019) to identify studies that had explored any aspect of disseminating results to trial participants. The search strategy was based on that of a linked existing review. The evidence identified describes the characteristics of included studies using narrative description informed by analysis of relevant data using descriptive statistics. Results Thirty-three eligible studies, including 12,700 participants (which included patients, health care professionals, trial teams), were identified and included. Reporting of participant characteristics (age, gender, ethnicity) across the studies was poor. The majority of studies investigated dissemination of aggregate trial results. The most frequently reported mode of disseminating of results was postal. Overall, the results report that participants evaluated receipt of trial results positively, with reported benefits including improved communication, demonstration of appreciation, improved retention, and engagement in future research. However, there were also some concerns about how well the dissemination was resourced and done, worries about emotional effects on participants especially when reporting unfavourable results, and frustration about the delay between the end of the trial and receipt of results. Conclusions This scoping review has highlighted that few high-quality evaluative studies have been conducted that can provide evidence on the best ways to deliver results to trial participants. There have been relatively few qualitative studies that explore perspectives from diverse populations, and those that have been conducted are limited to a handful of clinical areas. The learning from these studies can be used as a platform for further research and to consider some core guiding principles of the opportunities and challenges when disseminating trial results to those who participated.

scholarly journals Connecting Activity Implementation Characteristics to Student Buy-In Toward and Utilization of Formative Assessments Within Undergraduate Biology Courses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen R. Brazeal ◽  
Tanya L. Brown ◽  
Brian A. Couch
Keyword(s):  
Student Engagement ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Learning Preferences ◽  
Formative Assessments ◽  
Student Experiences ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Undergraduate Biology ◽  
Biology Courses ◽  
The Impact

AbstractWhile formative assessments (FAs) can facilitate learning within undergraduate STEM courses, their impact likely depends on many factors, including how instructors implement them, whether students buy-in to them, and how students utilize them. FAs have many different implementation characteristics, including what kinds of questions are asked, whether questions are asked before or after covering the material in class, how feedback is provided, how students are graded, and other logistical considerations. We conducted 38 semi-structured interviews with students from eight undergraduate biology courses to explore how various implementation characteristics of in-class and out-of-class FAs can influence student perceptions and behaviors. We also interviewed course instructors to provide context for understanding student experiences. Using thematic analysis, we outlined various FA implementation characteristics, characterized the range of FA utilization behaviors reported by students, and identified emergent themes regarding the impact of certain implementation characteristics on student buy-in and utilization. Furthermore, we found that implementation characteristics have combined effects on student engagement and that students will tolerate a degree of “acceptable discomfort” with implementation features that contradict their learning preferences. These results can aid instructor reflection and guide future research on the complex connections between activity implementation and student engagement within STEM disciplines.

The Ismaili Tradition in Iran: 13th Century to the Present

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Beben
Keyword(s):  
20Th Century ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Early 20Th Century ◽  
13Th Century ◽  
Complete Understanding ◽  
Northern Iran ◽  
Minority Community ◽  
History Of ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
To Receive

The Ismailis are a minority community of Shiʿi Muslims that first emerged in the 8th century. Iran has hosted one of the largest Ismaili communities since the earliest years of the movement and from 1095 to 1841 it served as the home of the Nizārī Ismaili imams. In 1256 the Ismaili headquarters at the fortress of Alamūt in northern Iran was captured by the Mongols and the Imam Rukn al-Dīn Khūrshāh was arrested and executed, opening a perilous new chapter in the history of the Ismailis in Iran. Generations of observers believed that the Ismailis had perished entirely in the course of the Mongol conquests. Beginning in the 19th century, research on the Ismailis began to slowly reveal the myriad ways in which they survived and even flourished in Iran and elsewhere into the post-Mongol era. However, scholarship on the Iranian Ismailis down to the early 20th century remained almost entirely dependent on non-Ismaili sources that were generally quite hostile toward their subject. The discovery of many previously unknown Ismaili texts beginning in the early 20th century offered prospects for a richer and more complete understanding of the tradition’s historical development. Yet despite this, the Ismaili tradition in the post-Mongol era continues to receive only a fraction of the scholarly attention given to earlier periods, and a number of sources produced by Ismaili communities in this period remain unexplored, offering valuable opportunities for future research.

Opportunities for improving how and when Canadians are informed about new prescription medications

2020 ◽  
pp. 427-447
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prescription Medications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Risks And Benefits ◽  
Medication Information ◽  
First Time ◽  
To Receive ◽  
Larger Sample

The Canadian prescription process requires a person to go through several steps. Prescription medications have associated risks and benefits and it is important for people to be aware of these before and while they are taking medications. One of the approaches to informing people about new prescription medications is that they are provided Consumer Medication Information (CMI). CMI is given to Canadians at the pharmacy when they pick up prescriptions, they will be taking for the first time. This study used semi-structured interviews to examine the lived experiences of a sample of Canadians (N = 36) to identify opportunities for improvement in how and when they are informed about new prescription medications. The findings were synthesized into a journey map. Generally, participants wanted to receive CMI digitally and earlier in the prescription process. Adopting these changes could have several benefits which include loss prevention and increased accessibility to CMI as well as more participatory decision making and opportunities to ask questions. Future research is warranted to explore similar topics with a larger sample and determine what method (e.g., email, website, mobile application) would be most suitable.

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